UF-WOAH
Mysterious blue and green lights seen flashing in the sky as Mexico earthquake hits send UFO hunters into a frenzy
BIZARRE blue and green flashing lights were spotted over Mexico City after it was rocked by a huge earthquake - sparking fears of a UFO invasion.
The 8.1 mega-quake was so powerful it triggered a three-metre tsunami and danger warnings for at least eight other countries remain in the region.
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The spooky phenomenon was captured on camera after hundreds of thousands of residents spilled onto the streets following the late night tremors.
The eerie lights - which some mistook for UFOs - are often recorded after an earthquake strikes.
However, little is actually known about why the occur.
The dazzling lights sometimes last for several minutes before or after an earthquake.
They come in many colours and have been reported over hundreds of years.
One theory is that the lights are caused by a breakdown of oxygen within certain rocks which can then cause ions to travel up through the cracks in the rocks.
Once they reach the atmosphere, these ions can electrically charge pockets of air, forming powerful flashes of light.
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Another theory is that the lights are triggered when a split in the Earth's crust rubs together, creating voltage.
Professor Troy Shinbrot of Rutgers University recently carried out a lab experiment to mimic the Earth's crust doing this, in an attempt to get to the bottom of the mystery.
He discovered that when the layers crack, voltage discharges into the air which then electrifies the it and creates a bright electrical light.
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Mexico was rocked by its most powerful earthquake in 32 years, which sparked panic and triggered a three metre tsunami. At least six people have died.
Officials said it was the strongest quake to hit the capital since the 1985 tremor that killed thousands and flattened a large party of Mexico City.
The earthquake struck around 600 miles away from Mexico City and there were warnings for further waves hitting Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Ecuador.
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